


Dear my name

by krystine



Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Crush at First Sight, Denial of Feelings, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Minor Kim Seungmin/Seo Changbin, Minor Lee Minho | Lee Know/Seo Changbin, Romance, Romantic Soulmates, Soulmates, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:40:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,824
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21916147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/krystine/pseuds/krystine
Summary: In this world, some people were called the "Names": people who had their soulmate's name engraved on their skin.Hyunjin was one of them. He had always looked forward to meet his soulmate, named Lee Minho.The day he finally met him, it felt so amazing...Until he learned that Minho was dating Changbin, his best friend.
Relationships: Hwang Hyunjin/Lee Minho | Lee Know
Comments: 3
Kudos: 144





	Dear my name

**Author's Note:**

> hi ! this is a gift for sam, @babystay1003 on twitter for secret santa ♥ i hope you enjoy! i am deeply sorry for mistakes because i'm not a native english speaker and didn't get it proofread :( i hope it doesn't bother you too much and hope that you enjoy. this au is inspired by the webdrama "dear my name" which is on youtube and vlive i think. i usually don't write about soulmates but this time i had to because the webdrama didn't do a good job at fully exploring their concept of soulmates, so i was so frustrated that i wanted to write a fic on it and here we go. now that's enough blabla, let's get on the fic! enjoy your reading ♥

Lee Minho.

The name of the man Hyunjin desperately wanted to meet. Hearing his alarm buzz, the first thing he did wasn’t turning it off but staring at his wrist, like he did every morning. The alarm vibrating in the background, Hyunjin didn’t pay attention to it. It could ring forever that he wouldn’t care. It wasn’t as if he really wanted to get up anyway. Each morning, he wondered why he had to wake up. And then, one look at his wrist was enough to remind him why he was still keeping on living.

In this world, some people had their soulmate’s name on their skin. It could be anywhere, as long as it was on their body. When they found their soulmate, their name and their soulmate’s name glowed together, meaning that they finally found their true love. Most people dreamt of it. A lot of stories were based on this magical romantic link between two people. Sadly, not everyone had a name on their skin. Many people were called the “No-names”, those without a name. It meant that they didn’t have a soulmate. They could only dream about people with names’ stories, the “Names”. Everyone idolized it.

But reality was different. Even if you had a name on your skin, it didn’t mean that you were going to meet them in your life. Finding your own soulmate was hard, most people didn’t even know who they were. If you met them, well, that was great for you. Couples formed by the names on their skin were the happiest, having a strong bond and loving each other til death. But they were so rare that it was depressing.

Because when you were a Name, you couldn’t go out with people without knowing that the one you were currently with was actually not the one made for you. You were always thinking about the person on your skin, thinking how better they would be than the person you were dating, thinking about the life you’d have gotten if you actually met your soulmate. This kind of thoughts could easily break a couple, as you didn’t love your partner as much as he loved you, always doubting your own love and their love. Deep down, you knew they weren’t the one for you. Deep down, you knew you would never love them as much as they loved you.

That was why the Names were actually not that happy. Soulmates were a beautiful concept, it was true. In the movies, they were great. Hyunjin loved them. But reality hit differently.

He sighed and finally turned off his alarm. Hiding the name under his sleeve, he got up and went to the bathroom. Today was an important day, he better not be late or Changbin will beat him up.

  
  
  
Hyunjin was staring at his wrist, ignoring his best friend’s complaints. They were in a coffee shop but didn’t order anything yet because they were waiting for someone. Hyunjin wasn’t really thrilled to meet him, he just wanted to go home and watch stupid shows. Dreaming about his soulmate. How he looked like. How his voice sounded like. How his personality was.

“Hwang Hyunjin are you listening to me? I said-”

Changbin suddenly stopped short when he noticed that his best friend was staring at his wrist. Hyunjin quickly hid it under his sleeve but he wasn’t quick enough not to make Changbin’s features turn down.

“Hey Hyunjin. I swear that you’re going to find him, okay?”

“Yeah. I hope so,” he muttered.

But he already knew he would never meet him. Hyunjin was already nineteen. He had been dreaming about his soulmate for nineteen years. At first, when he was a child, he loved the idea of having a soulmate. People around him always envied him and he was just so happy to be one of the rare people who had a soulmate. His heart was beating so fast whenever he thought about him. Now, he was just desperate. People around him still envied him but he didn’t feel happy about it anymore. Because no one told him that most soulmates never met. True, he still had a glint of hope somewhere in his mind, telling him that he will indeed meet his soulmate soon. However this hope had been there for nineteen years and it was fading the more time went by.

“I’m sorry that I brought you here but I just really want you two to meet. I didn’t want you to feel bad-”

“I know hyung,” he cut him off, smiling dryly at him. “I know. Don’t worry about me. Enjoy your time with your boyfriend. I’m uh, just going to see him right? And then I’ll leave you two alone to enjoy your free time together. I don’t want to be third wheeling.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry Jinnie… You could have just told me you didn’t want to meet him.”

“It’s okay. Besides I’m curious to know what he looks like. I have to know at least who’s the guy who’s taking care of my best friend, mh?”

Changbin laughed and Hyunjin quickly smiled. He didn’t want to make him feel bad so he didn’t tell him the whole truth. The truth was that he really didn’t want to be there. Love was so depressing to him. He had never found himself a boyfriend because even if people confessed to him, when he told them he was a Name they were disappointed. Or when people were flirting with him, when they saw the name on his wrist they were also disappointed. The No-names knew that the Names would never fully love them, that was why they didn’t engage in a relationship with them. Basically in this world if the Names didn’t find their soulmate, then they would die alone. That was it.

And Hyunjin felt like he will die alone.

“Why is he so late…” Changbin complained, trying to change the subject.

Hyunjin let his eyes on his wrist again, sighing heavily. Couldn’t his boyfriend come quickly so that he’d get done with this? Like that, he could go back home and cry alone in his bed about his soulmate.

Suddenly, the name glowed.

Hyunjin’s jaw dropped.

He got up in surprise, the light reverberating in his widened eyes.

Lee Minho.

His name was clearly glowing. Then this meant…

He looked up and didn’t even have to search for his soulmate in this room. Because he was just in front of him.

Pale skin, long eyelashes, curled lips. He had dark hair and strands of his hair were beautifully partly covering his forehead. Even if no one would have told him he was his soulmate, Hyunjin would have still fallen in love with him at first sight. He was so pretty.

Despite his soulmate’s hand on his neck, Hyunjin could still see something glowing underneath. He smiled. It was really him.

Lee Minho.

Everyone around them were smiling, taking pictures. Seeing two soulmates meet for the first time was such a rare occasion and something many people loved imagining, even if they weren’t Names. It was just always portrayed as something beautiful and seeing it with their own eyes was even more beautiful.

And Hyunjin understood why.

The warm feeling in his chest, all the nice emotions that were flowing in him… It was magical.

“Hey so… Hyunjin?”

Hyunjin finally removed his gaze from Minho to focus on Changbin who just called him. Weirdly, his best friend looked awkward. Why? Hyunjin always imagined that he would be so happy when he would have met his soulmate. Even more if he was there to witness it! So why…?

“This is Minho hyung, my boyfriend.”

_Crash._

Hyunjin’s whole world fell down.

The warm feeling in his chest disappeared. The nice emotions disappeared. All that was left now was discomfort.

His best friend was dating his soulmate.

Scared, he slowly turned his gaze to Minho, hoping that he would see him disapproving. Shaking his head, clearing things up. That he wasn’t dating Changbin, that he was alone too, that in these years of waiting patiently to meet his soulmate he felt so sad too. That now, he was so happy to finally meet his soulmate.

But he didn’t. Lee Minho was shyly smiling, looking really awkward too.

Hyunjin heard his heart break. 

“And… Minho hyung… This is Hyunjin, my best friend…”

Minho did his best to smile. “Nice to meet you Hyunjin.”

Hearing his voice saying his name made his ears burn. It felt so nice, so so nice, but there wasn’t any love in his voice. It was as if he was considering him as a stranger. A mere stranger.

“I know that we are supposedly soulmates but… can we ignore that? As I said to _Binnie_ , I don’t really believe in soulmates. And uh… I’m dating _Binnie_ so… Let’s not make it awkward, okay?”

Hyunjin let a fake smile spread on his lips. He couldn’t believe it. Letting his own emotions sink, he ignored the tears threatening to fall.

“Okay,” he said in a weak voice. “Let’s do that.”

He gulped down his feelings, sitting down again.

That really wasn’t how he imagined his first meeting with his soulmate.

  
  
  
“Hey, stop crying…”

Hyunjin was on his couch, comfortably wrapped in a soft blanket. He had a bowl of popcorns on his thighs but even after one hour of watching a movie, the bowl was still full. His chest was going up and down, his sobs getting louder with each minute passing. Next to him was a worried Seungmin who was looking at him. He patted his shoulder and it didn’t make Hyunjin feel better.

“It’s fine, really. Maybe they won’t stay together? Maybe… Maybe Minho is wrong. You know he never met real love since he never met you before. Maybe he’s just faking it. Maybe-”

“But I don’t want him to hurt Changbin hyung!” Hyunjin suddenly shouted, still in tears. “I want to think that he’s faking his love or that he’s not really in love with Changbin hyung but if I think like this, what would Changbin hyung think? Am I really his best friend to wish for him to break up with my soulmate? How good of a best friend I am to wish for their relationship to fail! I… I don’t want them to be unhappy...”

Seungmin looked at his friend straight in the eye, determined. “Hyunjin. Names and No-names aren’t supposed to be together. Especially when the Name found his soulmate. You know that right? I dated a Name once. Even if he promised me that he would always love me, he didn’t. Names are so insecure about their love because they think that life didn’t want them to love their current partner and that they’ll never get the strongest bond with them, because they can only obtain it with their soulmate. I got really insecure too, like how can I know he really loves me? That’s how we broke up, and mostly why the Names and No-names’ relationships don’t work. It never works. At least, not when the Name is aware they met their soulmate.”

“But… But he was looking at Changbin hyung with so much love… I found so much tenderness in his gaze, it was so soft that it was suffocating…”

“I mean... When did they start dating?”

“One month ago. Changbin hyung was always talking to me about a Minho that he met in a party and how they still kept contact. Since Minho is a common name, I didn’t think that his Minho would be… my Minho…”

“See it’s only been one month. Maybe Changbin will fall out of love with Minho. And maybe Minho will realize that the one he will truly love is you?”

“But he doesn’t even believe in soulmates… That’s why Changbin hyung dated him, it’s because Minho told him that even if he had a name on his neck it didn’t matter. He dislikes the idea of soulmates. So what should I do…? End up alone…? And why should I continue living? A Name’s reason to live is just to meet their soulmate… Now that I met him and that he doesn’t want to like me… I... ”

“Hyunjin… I don’t know why he doesn’t believe in soulmates, but that doesn’t even make sense. After all it’s true that all the couples formed with the names are the happiest so why doesn’t he believe in it?”

“Maybe he saw a couple with names break up…”

“I don’t believe that… It really never happens…”

“How do you know? Maybe it’s really the case and soulmates don’t live the idyllic life we all imagine…”

“Hyunjin, don’t tell me that you’re starting to doubt the soulmates’ system?”

Hyunjin kept quiet. Seungmin sighed, ruffling his hair.

“I’m sure your soulmate is just wrong. Next time you meet him, just ask him why he doesn’t believe in soulmates and why he loves Changbin. You’ll understand better like this, mh?”

Hyunjin quietly nodded and Seungmin smiled a bit. Smile which quickly disappeared.

“And uh… I know it sounds wrong, but I really don’t think their relationship is going to last. What did Changbin say about his boyfriend being your soulmate, by the way? Wasn’t he the most excited to know about your soulmate when you’ll meet him?”

“Well… He didn’t text me after I left them on their date. Maybe he’s still with him… Holding hands, playing with his hair, kissing, doing couple’s things that I should be doing…”

“But that’s so fucked up! He’s your best friend and knows that a Name and a No-name never end well so-”

“Try to understand from his point of view too. I’m not mad at him. Just imagine, how would you feel if the boy you liked has a soulmate, and that soulmate is your best friend? Must feel horrible, right?”

“If that’s horrible then what about you? You, who’s forced to watch your soulmate date your best friend? You who will end up alone?”

“Yeah but… But still, I’d understand if Changbin hyung wants to cut ties with me…”

“Hyunjin don’t be like that. Minho is the one you like, your soulmate. Don’t push them together and don’t bear the pain alone.”

“But I’m not even sure if Minho is the one for me…”

“He’s your soulmate!”

“And what does him being my soulmate mean? Maybe life just decided we looked good together but we actually don’t!”

“Hyunjin-”

“I’m not the one for him. Changbin hyung is. Look how imperfect I am, whiny, sensitive, dramatic, moody… I don’t know, Changbin hyung is so much better than me… That’d explain why he likes him rather than me…”

Seungmin pinched his cheek and Hyunjin whined. “I won’t let you talk about my friend like that.”

He smiled, rubbing his cheek and wiping his tears away. “Thanks but that’s what I really am. Even my soulmate doesn’t want me, can you imagine…”

Seungmin sighed, shaking his head. “You’re an idiot. Talk to him, mh?”

“I’ll try.”

He smiled. “Good. Now can we finally focus on the movie? I can’t believe you cried so much in front of a comedy.”

Hyunjin soulessly laughed. 

“Me neither.”

  
  
  
He was out of his mind. One week had passed and nothing changed, apart from his heart dying day by day. Each morning, he did his best to hide the name on his wrist. The first thing he did wasn’t looking at it anymore, but turning off his alarm.

Changbin didn’t make up with him. They didn’t really talk about this subject. His best friend sent him a few texts that weren’t about his soulmate. Hyunjin didn’t mind. Like he said to Seungmin, he understood if his best friend wanted to keep on loving Minho. It wasn’t like he had a choice anyway. Changbin like Hyunjin didn’t control his emotions.

He took some beverage from the convenience store’s fridge, took a bag of chips then went to the cashier. He was so absent-minded that the cashier had to repeat him twice the price of his items. When his brain finally proceeded what he heard, he looked for his wallet. Which turned out missing.

How? Did Hyunjin really go out of his house to buy some snacks and forget his wallet? This kind of stuff usually never happened to him. It was so ridiculous that he’d almost laugh at the situation but he was too tired to do so. Too tired to live.

The boy apologized and had only the time to take back the bag of chips when he heard a familiar voice.

“I’ll pay for him.”

When Hyunjin turned his head, it was as if the name on his wrist glowed again. The warm feeling in his chest came back, the world changing around him. Everything but Minho turned in black and white, making him stand out. He was absorbed by him.

He felt so many nice emotions and at the same time, his heart sank a little bit more. Sure he was happy to see his soulmate again but… His soulmate didn’t like him back. He liked his best friend.

Minho’s eyes drifted to Hyunjin’s. They met gazes and as soon as they did, Minho shaped a smile on his lips. Hyunjin felt his heart combust but he acted as if nothing happened, weakly smiling back. As he did so, the fire in his heart died down.

  
  
It was quiet. Neither of them wanted to say something, quietly eating the snack Minho bought for the both of them. Hyunjin continued to eat even if he wasn’t really hungry. He just didn’t want to speak first. And honestly, he didn’t even know why he was sharing a snack with him. If Minho didn’t like him back then what was the use of spending time with him? Hyunjin really didn’t understand him.

Minho put down his drink, letting his hand on the table. “Hey, um…”

Hyunjin’s eyes darted on him. He wondered why he had to possess such a soothing voice. It didn’t help him not finding him attractive.

“I’m sorry about what happened. You’re not at fault, you shouldn’t beat yourself.”

“You shouldn’t be sorry. It’s fine,” Hyunjin lied, taking a sip of his own drink.

“I see that it’s not fine… I may not know you but when I saw you buying these items, I… I don’t know, it just seemed obvious that you weren’t doing well. And… I don’t know if it’s because of me, but I still wanted to make you happier. So…”

Hyunjin lowered his gaze on his food. A knot formed in his stomach. He wasn’t hungry at all now. “Hey. If you’re doing this because you want to feel better, don’t. I know I look pitiful. I’m sorry I look pitiful. Sorry I thought my soulmate would like me back. Sorry I thought I’d get to live a happy story like everyone said. Sorry I thought… you would believe in soulmates.”

Minho scratched the back of his neck. Hyunjin ignored the sudden pain in his chest. “As I said… It’s not your fault. I just really don’t like the idea of soulmates.”

“May I ask why? Why you don’t like them.”

The older remained silent during a few seconds, thinking seriously, before answering. “I had a bad experience with soulmates. I just don’t want to believe in them.”

“So… Do you think you’ll be happy with Changbin hyung?”

Hyunjin looked at Minho. Minho didn’t look back.

“Are you going to beat me up if I say that I don’t?”

The boy shook his head. “I’m not going to.”

“Then… Yeah. I don’t.”

“Why?”

“I like him. But I don’t love him. And I’ll never love him.”

“Then why are you dating him?”

“Because I want to experience what being a normal person feels like.”

“A normal person?”

“A No-name. Someone without the pressure of dating someone they don’t know.”

“And you’re using Changbin hyung for that?”

Minho softly laughed. “I thought you wouldn’t beat me up for that.”

“I won’t. I just want to understand you.”

He smiled. “That’s nice, I guess.”

Hyunjin didn’t return the smile. “Then you don’t believe in love?”

“I don’t.”

“Why?”

Hyunjin was persistent. He just didn’t understand Minho and wanted to understand him. What happened to him to make him despise soulmates. What was going through his head. Why he was so beautiful even when he was just thinking. Not understanding him frustrated him.

“I… I’m sorry. It’s getting too personal.”

Hyunjin nodded quietly as he took another sip of his beverage. Too private, huh.

“Hey… I really don’t want to hurt you. You seem like a great person.”

“So great that you don’t want to date me, hm?”

“That’s not what I mean. The fact that I don’t want to date you isn’t because of you, it’s because of me. Because of my fears.”

“They all say that,” Hyunjin snickered, hands in his pockets.

“Hyunjin…”

“The only one thing I had looked forward to in my whole life was meeting you. I stared at my wrist every morning, reading your name, so excited to get to the day where I would finally meet you. I dreamt about your face, how you’d be, how you’d look like, how the sound of your voice would sound like, how your eyes would disappear when you laugh… Just everything. And in the end, my soulmate is someone who doesn’t believe in soulmates and doesn’t want me in his life. What a sad life I’m leading, huh? Well, I’m used to it anyway.”

“Hyunjin, I-”

“I fucking hate that,” he retorted, eyes going back on him. “I fucking hate that I find you attractive, beautiful, perfect, adorable, charismatic. I heard you laughing once and I already love the sound of your laugh. I heard you saying my name and it gave me fireworks in my chest because I felt so happy. I saw you smile and I adored it. I, fuck, you attract me so much and yet I can’t get close to you because you’ll just break me. After all you don’t care about soulmates.”

Hyunjin got up. 

“Wait Hyunjin-”

“Sorry for making you pay for the snacks. I’ll pay you back. Be happy in your life. Whether it’s with Changbin hyung or not.”

Minho called him once again but he ignored. He walked quickly to his home, tears threatening to fall. His chest was hurting him, his throat tightened. He just wanted to disappear from this world. Maybe Minho would have been happier like that. Because then, he wouldn’t have a soulmate. And he’d be happy.

  
  
  
Hyunjin was staring outside. Bystanders were coming by, all different but all so boring. He didn’t have any interest in any of them. Nevertheless, he tried to pay attention to them because he didn’t want to pay attention to the person in front of him.

Seo Changbin. His best friend was sitting there, an untouched coffee still fuming. They were in a coffee shop, the same one where he first met Minho. He hated that but kept the thought to himself. He didn’t want to make his best friend more upset.

“So…”

Changbin talked first. Hyunjin didn’t move his gaze.

“We have to talk, right?”

 _Of course, why would you have invited me there otherwise?_ Hyunjin immediately wanted to snap that back at him but he kept quiet, admiring the woman’s blue coat who was walking outside.

“I… I’m sorry about everything that happened. I know soulmates have always been something important to you.”

Hyunjin gave a laugh. “Yeah. They’re important but don’t bother yourself with it. It’s fine. I’m fine.” What a bad liar.

Changbin closed his eyes, sighing. “I made a decision, Jinnie.”

His best friend finally looked back at him.

“I’ll break up with Minho hyung.”

“What?”

Changbin lowered his head, a fake smile on. Hyunjin was bewildered. He didn’t believe in what he just heard.

“Hyung you can’t do that for me,” he immediately answered, devastated. “You shouldn’t place my happiness over yours. I don’t deserve it. Just be happy with Minho...”

“But I’ll never be, knowing that he’s not the one for me.”

“But you already knew that when you decided to date him so why…”

“It’s different now. You know how some soulmates never meet? Maybe Minho hyung was one of those so I had a bit of hope. Now, it’s over.”

Hyunjin knew he shouldn’t feel bad. He knew it wasn’t his fault. Still, he couldn’t help but feel bad. Feel like it was still his fault that they’d break up, that he’d be the reason of Changbin’s unhappiness. What a great best friend he was, right?

His hyung forced a smile out. “Hey, don’t look like that. It’s fine. I knew that Names and No-names couldn’t be happy together anyway.”

Hyunjin kept quiet, staring at his own coffee. A knot formed in his throat, his vocal cords tangling. It felt like he was suffocating, his throat blocking the way to his lungs. As if a hand was on his neck, pressing it like it wanted to strangle him to death. He couldn’t dare to speak. It hurt too much.

Taking a breath in, his heart sank deeper in the dark sea of his emotions. Each beat it took was painful. His chest hurt him and he couldn’t do anything to stop it. Simply rubbing it, he gathered the courage to speak in spite of his vocal cords knotted together.

“What about Minho’s feelings?”

“Hyung will be fine,” Changbin answered, gazing outside. “He has you after all.”

“But he doesn’t even believe in soulmates. If he doesn’t want to love me, we can’t force him…”

“Soulmates are real Jinnie.” He turned his head towards him. “He’ll love you. You two should be happy. I’ll reason with Minho hyung okay? He’ll see why he should love you.”

“Hyung, I… I don’t want this… I want you to be happy with him…”

“But I’m not going to. He’s not the right one. I know. I’ll keep searching helplessly.”

Hyunjin felt really bad. His best friend was longing for love but couldn’t find it. He always said that it was because he was a No-name. Someone who couldn’t find his soulmate because he didn’t have one. Someone who would never be as happy as Names were. Deep down, Changbin was probably jealous of Hyunjin. The latter was sure of it and it didn’t make his guilt go better. He wished they could exchange places. Hyunjin would have been happier as a No-name, after all.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, a tear threatening to fall.

“Why are you apologizing?” Changbin’s voice sounded as soft as a lullaby. “It’s not your fault. It’s just me. Desperate to the point I’ve taken a liking to someone who already has a soulmate.”

“I’m so sorry…”

“It’s fine Jinnie. Really.”

Hyunjin couldn’t hold back the tears that were freely running on his cheeks now. Changbin only looked at him with a painful smile. It only made the pain in his heart grow, making his sobbings harder. He wished his best friend could be happy and when he finally found someone to make him happy, it had to be his soulmate? Why? Why was life so cruel? Hyunjin hated it. Changbin deserved so much to be happy, to find the one who’d make his life happier.

And maybe it’d be fine, if Hyunjin would be happy thanks to Changbin’s sacrifice. But he wasn’t. His soulmate didn’t even want to love him back so what was the use of trying? Why did he live for so long if in the end, his soulmate would never like him back? What was the purpose of his life? All his life, he’d been told that finding his soulmate would be the most beautiful thing that’d happen to him but why did it turn out as the worse thing? Hyunjin hated life. He really hated it.

Names ruined everything.

  
  
  
Listening to the rain’s sound, Hyunjin was walking back home. This week was finally over… He sighed, spotting two girls looking at him. Probably talking about him. People around him had indeed been talking about him. Why did Hwang Hyunjin look like a doll? An empty doll. Hyunjin wondered. Why not having his soulmate affected him so much? Love wasn’t everything in life. He had friends, a future job, family… He was doing fine. Supposedly doing fine.

This world just put so much pressure on people to find their love, especially on the Names. And Hyunjin was sick of it. People asked him why did he wrap his wrist with a bandage and Hyunjin replied it was because it was hurting. It wasn’t a lie. The name on his wrist hurt him, but just not on his wrist. It was somewhere else where it hurt even more.

He sighed, looking at his feet. He felt bad, so bad. He was the reason Changbin decided to give up on his love. He didn’t know how Minho was doing now but he probably was going through a hard time. He would never be able to face him again. He wouldn’t know how to act. Minho surely hated him now. He was the reason Changbin forced himself to break up after all.

Changbin didn’t look good either. Hyunjin wanted to comfort him the night he broke up with him, but Changbin refused. He said that seeing him would make him feel worse. Hyunjin felt so guilty. A best friend shouldn’t make his best friend feel bad. Were they really best friends if he hurt him? Hyunjin wondered. Maybe he wasn’t even entitled to be a best friend now. Maybe he was just nothing. A puppet, like they said. A puppet guided by life, who thought everything would happen normally. Meet his soulmate, be happy, die happy. That was why he always listened to life carefully, obeying it. But now, he really was wondering why did he get through all of his life if in the end, meeting his soulmate was his worst memory.

Drown in his thoughts he took a corner, turning towards the street at the same moment someone else did.

They ran into each other.

Hyunjin yelped, surprised and physically a bit hurt. But he quickly forgot about it, worried for the person in front of him.

“I’m sorry, are you okay?”

When the stranger raised his eyes, Hyunjin immediately recognized him. His heart skipped a beat.

Minho.

He didn’t have an umbrella and was just walking under the rain with a hood on. It didn’t seem like he was doing well. Hyunjin felt bad. His throat tightened.

“I’m okay. Don’t worry.”

Minho was already going to leave. Instinctively, Hyunjin didn’t let him.

He grabbed his wrist.

Minho turned around, now facing him with livid eyes.

Hyunjin acted on impulse because he didn’t want him to leave yet. And now? He stared at him, not letting go of his arm. A flood of emotions was overflowing his heart but at the same time, he felt so empty. Maybe because he _was_ empty.

Hyunjin gathered his thoughts. He held back his knot.

"I’m sorry.”

“I know. You didn’t mean to bump into me-”

“I’m sorry for Changbin hyung.”

Minho frowned. “Why?”

“Because… It’s because of me that you two broke up…”

“It’s not. We would’ve broken up anyway.”

“But if I didn’t appear, if I didn’t exist, maybe you’d have fallen in love with him and-”

Minho placed a hand on Hyunjin’s shoulder. It was wet. “Enough. Don’t blame yourself.”

The older wanted to go back and leave him there, but Hyunjin didn’t let him. Before he stepped backwards, Hyunjin grabbed his arm and pulled him towards him, making him stand under the umbrella too. Minho looked surprised. Eyes widened even if they were already big, his jaw slightly dropping… he really looked adorable. Hyunjin should have felt happiness, but instead he felt sadness. Because even if he found him adorable, they weren’t going to end together. Even if he fell in love with him, Minho wouldn’t fall in love with him too.

Still, as a human being, Hyunjin couldn’t let him go like this. It was raining a lot and if Minho was going to walk under this rain without an umbrella, he’d definitely catch a cold. So he wouldn’t leave him alone.

“Where are you going? I’ll accompany you.”

“Why…?” Minho asked so quietly that Hyunjin almost didn’t hear him under the rain’s sound.

“Because if you walk under the rain like this, you’ll catch a cold. I won’t let you go knowing that.”

A light pink blush covered Minho’s cheeks and Hyunjin couldn’t help but find that adorable. Unfortunately.

“But I have a hood…”

“It doesn’t cover anything, your face is still wet…” Hyunjin replied. He wanted to wipe the water off of his face, but knew it wasn’t his place to do so, so he didn’t.

“Where I want to go is pretty far away…” Minho continued, averting his gaze. “And I’m going to take the subway so…”

“Are you in a hurry?”

“Not really.”

“Then go with me.”

“Where?”

“At my home. I’ll lend you an umbrella. You can give it back to me anytime.”

“Huh? Wait, that’s-”

Hyunjin firmly grabbed the arm he hadn’t release yet. “Let’s go.”

Minho didn’t have his say. He silently followed him, squeezed together under this umbrella. Hyunjin did his best to entirely cover Minho’s body, even if it meant that his own right side would get wet. He didn’t care. Right now, he cared more about Minho than himself. He wondered why he was this worried, because despite being his soulmate, Minho was still supposed to be a stranger to him… Hyunjin didn’t really understand. Maybe soulmates were supposed to feel like this… Then, did it mean Minho felt the same towards him? It gave him a warm feeling in his chest, but he quickly suppressed it. He couldn’t feel like this or else, he’d really fall for Minho. Which would mean nothing good.

  
  
  
“Achoo!”

Hyunjin turned around to look at Minho, who was still standing at his entrance. He didn’t want to enter, just wanted to have an umbrella and then go. But hearing him sneeze… Hyunjin didn’t know if he wanted to let him go like that.

“So here you go,” he still said, handing him another umbrella. “But… Are you sure you’re not falling sick?”

“Oh thank you.” Minho took the umbrella, rubbing his nose. “No I’m not, don’t worry about me.”

Hyunjin stared at him, bewildered. “Really…?”

Minho’s clothes were wet, even his face was because of the rain. It was cold outside so of course he must have felt really cold. If he went outside again with these wet clothes, wasn’t he definitely going to catch a cold? Hyunjin didn’t want that.

“Yeah. And even if I do fall sick, why would you worry? We don’t know each other.”

Minho had a point. They didn’t know each other so why was he this worried? Hyunjin didn’t know.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just feel like it. Maybe it’s because of the soulmates’ link? It makes me automatically feel things for you or something.”

“Huh. Then are you assuming that I’m feeling the same things you are currently feeling?”

Hyunjin violently blushed. He looked away, playing with his shirt.

“I-I mean, no! No that’s not what I wanted to say!”

Minho chuckled. “I know, don’t worry.”

Hyunjin’s blush didn’t vanish because he was so embarrassed. He made such a fool of himself. On top of that, Minho’s laugh sounded so beautiful. He may have heard it already several times but he still loved it. It sounded so clear, like a B note in an ensemble of As. If you asked him a sound he’d like to hear for the rest of his life, he’d reply Minho’s laugh. But that was something he’d definitely keep to himself and try to suppress. He couldn’t let himself fall for him.

“A-anyway,” he stuttered, “don’t catch a cold! It would uh… worry… worry Changbin hyung!”

He didn’t know what to say to convince Minho that he shouldn’t be sick but maybe he should have just kept quiet. He was just making mistake after mistake.

When Minho faked a smile, that was when he knew he should have just shut up.

“He wouldn’t even know. We have no reason to see each other now.”

“I’m sorry,” Hyunjin blurted out, becoming even redder.

“For?”

“Changbin hyung.”

“I said it’s fine-”

“But it’s clearly not! You’re not doing fine.”

“How can you see that?”

“It seemed obvious that you were not doing well.”

Hyunjin repeated the same words Minho said to him three weeks ago, at the convenience store. The latter noticed, cracked a smile out.

“You’re really…”

“You’re not doing fine.”

Minho’s smile died down. He looked away.

“Yeah. I’m not doing fine.”

Hyunjin’s heart broke. He felt sorry, so sorry. It was his fault that his own soulmate was feeling bad, after all. Soulmates were supposed to be each other’s happiness but why wasn’t it the case for them? Why were they each other’s unhappiness? If only they weren’t each other’s names, things would have been better. Hyunjin would have found a soulmate who liked soulmates and Minho would have found a soulmate who didn’t care about soulmates either. Maybe life did a mistake and put them together by accident. After all, with how things were now, Hyunjin could clearly see it.

They weren’t made for each other.

“I’m so sorry,” he apologized weakly.

“It’s not your fault.”

“I feel like it is.”

“But it’s not-”

“Sorry. You can go now. You probably don’t want to stay here anyway. I’m making you feel bad.”

Minho didn’t answer anything. He gave an awkward smile, silently admitting that Hyunjin was right. It hit him like a stab in the heart.

“Thanks for the umbrella.”

And Minho left Hyunjin’s house like this, going in the heavy rain.

  
  
  
Hyunjin looked at the rain pouring outside. The bad weather was here for two weeks, already. Maybe that was why Minho didn’t give his umbrella back yet. They hadn’t seen each other since then but it didn’t stop Hyunjin from thinking about him. The older was always on his mind. It was hard not to think about him when he had his name on his wrist, after all. Even if he put a bandage on it, he could still see the name under it. It was a name he grew up with. Of course he’d never forget Lee Minho.

He tried to erase it, to make it disappear, but it never worked. His skin burned red, it ached him because he rubbed it too much. One time, he even started to bleed because of it. And Hyunjin cried, facing the fact that he’d never get rid of Lee Minho. Minho would always be in his thoughts, whether he liked him back or not. Why didn’t Minho agree to be his soulmate? No one in this world disliked soulmates, they all loved it. So why did Minho dislike it?

He really didn’t understand Lee Minho and even if he wanted to understand him, he couldn’t. It wasn’t like Minho would explain why. He said it was too personal, after all. But what exactly could have happened? Hyunjin imagined a lot of things but it wasn’t enough. All the reasons made up by his mind wouldn’t explain why Minho didn’t even want to try loving Hyunjin. 

And so, the one thing he found that made sense was that Minho didn’t like Hyunjin. It wasn’t that Minho didn’t believe in soulmates, it was simply because he was disappointed in his own soulmate. That was why he made up this lie, telling him it really wasn’t his fault when in fact, it was.

Hyunjin was simply too ugly for Minho.

It hurt him to admit that, but it was the truth. Minho didn’t like him because he didn’t suit his taste. Who would ever like him, anyway? They all got so uninterested when they found out he already had a soulmate. Then who would complete his broken heart? Who would repair his incomplete heart?

Suddenly, the bell rang. Weird. Hyunjin wasn’t waiting for anyone to come, at this hour. The sky was already dark after all, everyone was at their homes now. So who could it be?

He got up from his bed, getting to his door. Opening it, the rain’s sound became louder, covering Hyunjin’s own heartbeats.

His whole world stopped.

Changbin was here, seeming really uncomfy. He was supporting Minho, his ex’s arm around his neck. Minho looked really out. His face was bright red and even if they were standing still, he was still tilting a bit.

Hyunjin felt like he was falling in a hole. Expect that the hole didn’t have any end.

“Hey Hyunjin… So… Minho hyung is really drunk and I don’t want him to be alone… Could you be with him?”

He almost snickered because he couldn’t believe what he heard. Really? His best friend was asking him that? How insensitive could he be?

Changbin had slowly gotten over Minho and was happy again. So maybe he thought that it was the same for Hyunjin. But Hyunjin had longed for Minho for his whole life, contrary to him. Hyunjin’s purpose to live was to be with Minho. Now, he understood how wrong was his life. He shouldn’t have lived for someone, he should have lived for himself. But it was too late to go back and Hyunjin didn’t know what to do with his feelings. What should he do? How was he supposed to live for himself when his whole life, he lived for Minho?

He clenched his fist, shaking his head. “No. I can’t.”

“Why not? You see how he is now, he can’t be alone.”

“Then you, you stay with him. Not me.”

“What are you saying…”

“Changbin hyung. I can’t do this. I love him too much. Yeah I know, I don’t even know Minho, we didn’t even really talk. But he’s my soulmate, he’s the one I’m supposed to love, to be happy with… I can’t let him be in my life any longer. He doesn’t plan on liking me so I have to let him go. That’s why I can’t interact more with him.”

“Hyunjin-”

“Hyunjin…”

They both stopped, turning their heads to look at Minho. It seemed like he woke up again. Dizzy, he stood up straight, letting go of Changbin.

Then, he wrapped his arms around Hyunjin’s neck, hugging him tightly. Hyunjin’s heart skipped a beat due to his surprise. Returning the hug, he felt like exploding from happiness. He shouldn’t be happy but he still was. Nevertheless, he put his joy aside because he was more worried than happy. Maybe Minho just wasn’t in the right mind after all. That was why he hugged him. Yeah, it was because he was drunk.

“See? I think Minho has things to tell you. You said you love him too much, right? Well, soulmates feel the same way towards each other. They feel the same attraction.”

Hyunjin was puzzled. Minho was resting on him, he could feel his hot breath on his skin. And he wasn’t going to lie, it felt nice. A bit too nice.

“I never told you that but… if I didn’t break up with him, Minho hyung would have done it anyway. The day I let you two meet, I realized. I was used to Minho hyung’s loving gaze on me and I loved it. But when he looked at you, I discovered a whole new gaze. A whole new side of him. Before if he had stars in his eyes, now he had the whole galaxy in them. It was shining so brightly that even my love wouldn’t shine as much. He really loves you back, Jinnie. Really.”

It left him speechless. He was so sure that Minho liked Changbin and now? He learned that he felt the same as him? That was impossible. He had to hear it from Minho’s mouth, when he would be sober.

“Take care of him, okay?”

Hyunjin didn’t answer anything. Changbin left here, leaving him with a drunk Minho in his hands. This definitely wouldn’t help him not get attached to his soulmate even more.

  
  
  
The nice tea’s scent invaded his nose. Tea should calm down people but Hyunjin didn’t feel calmer. Minho was at his house. No, _drunk_ Minho was at his house. It was worse, because he was uncontrollable. Even if he was laying on the couch, he was still talking in the background, blabbering with words Hyunjin didn’t even understand. But overall, he felt sad. So sad that it broke Hyunjin. He wanted to make sure Minho’s eyes shined with that happiness again… but how? After all, he wasn’t the person who could make him smile.

Changbin’s words suddenly came back to him. Did Minho really love him back…? It seemed impossible to Hyunjin. They hadn’t known each other so long and on top of that they only met a few times. Sure, Hyunjin was attracted to Minho because he was attractive. But that was all. He wasn’t in love yet and wanted to make sure he wouldn’t fall for him. However, if Minho felt the same towards him… Hyunjin wouldn’t repress his feelings.

Grabbing the tea cup, he carried it to Minho. The older was still talking incomprehensibly and Hyunjin didn’t mind anymore.

“Here. Drink this tea.”

“Don’t wanna…” Minho whined.

Hyunjin’s heart did a thing but he did his best not to care about it.

“Drink it.”

“Don’t wanna.”

“I said to drink it.”

“I’m sorry.”

Hyunjin could have retorted with an annoyed voice but he didn’t, when he looked at Minho’s serious look. His eyes were piercing, bright but strong. Even when he was drunk, he was still so beautiful. Hyunjin hated it. Why was he so charming?

“I’m the reason why we both aren’t happy right now, but… I can’t help it. I can’t trust soulmates.”

“Why not?” Hyunjin softly asked, putting the tea on the coffee table and sitting down to face Minho.

Their faces were close but neither of them budged. Maybe because it was a comfortable position for both of them. Hyunjin felt at ease. Calm, peaceful. For the first time in weeks, he felt really nice.

“My parents… were a No-name and a Name couple. They were still happy because my father hadn’t meet his soulmate yet. They loved each other. It was obvious to everyone and everyone liked them because a No-name and Name couple working was so rare. And of course it was rare because it never worked. My parents proved that too.

“Everything fell apart when my dad met his soulmate. He… He ran away, leaving my mom and I alone. She had to work harder to let us able to afford daily expenses and I was broken. So Dad never liked Mom as much as she liked him. She said she was fine but she wasn’t. Every night I could hear her crying.

“And I wondered. Why soulmates had to exist? If they didn’t exist, everyone would be happy. Sure, my dad didn’t like my mom as much as she liked him but they were still happy. If soulmates didn’t exist they could still be happy. But by searching for more happiness, my dad caused my mom’s unhappiness. Searching for your soulmate is so selfish. You just care about your own well-being, not caring about people with no names. Having a soulmate doesn’t mean you have to give up everything for them, you can still be happy without being with your soulmate…

“That’s why I hated you. I tried to remove your name from my neck, tried to hide it, but you were always here. I hated the fact that I had a soulmate. Maybe one day, I’ll be like my dad and run away too, because I too will be as selfish as him. This made me feel like a horrible person and I hated myself. I hated the fact that I had a name on my skin.

“You know what’s funnier? My dad came back a few months ago. His soulmate died in a car accident. He was broken, asked for help and went back to his old happiness. My mom accepted him back. She was happy he was back. And I felt so… bad. My dad only came back to us because he needed us again, since his soulmate disappeared. I hated that, I really hated that…”

Hyunjin carefully wiped Minho’s tears with his thumb, looking worryingly at him. His heart ached. Finally learning why he hated soulmates, he could now understand his behavior… How would he want to be happy with his soulmate when he witnessed this?

“Soulmates are just a way to make humans greedy. They become so greedy for a better love that they forget people around them can already bring them so much love, so much happiness. My family was so happy and everything got broken because of soulmates… I couldn’t understand my dad, I couldn’t understand why he ran away… Why would meeting his soulmate make him give up on everything…?

“That was until I met you.”

Minho’s eyes locked with Hyunjin’s. They stared at each other for a few seconds. Neither of them talked. The atmosphere was nice. Hyunjin felt like he was falling deeper for him. And he wasn’t alone.

“I didn’t believe in love at first sight. I didn’t believe in soulmates. I thought they were overrated because everyone thought their soulmate would be perfect. But… But when I saw you… I don’t know, I just thought you were perfect. Your eyes, your nose, your lips, your everything… they’re so attractive. That’s what I hated too. I understood why my dad immediately fell for his soulmate but I hated that I understood. In the end, I’m the same person as my dad. A greedy human who wants to be happier than he already is. I had Changbin, you know? Changbin made me really happy too. As I said, I liked him, really. He was really nice and brought me happiness.

“But that happiness felt like nothing when I talked to you, interacted with you. I can’t even describe it with a word because it’s more than just being happy. It’s… incredible. It feels like I could do anything for you, stare at you for eternity, that, everything, I wouldn’t care. Is that the effect that soulmates have on each other? And when you described me, I was shocked. I felt the same as you.

“I heard you laugh once and I fell in love with the sound of your laugh. I heard you saying my name and I had to force myself not to smile because it felt so nice. I saw you smile and I fell harder for you. Each thing you did made me fall deeper for you. You attract me so much too but I’m so scared. I’m so scared that everything will fall apart like my family did. What will happen to us? What if you die, one day? Will I end up as heartbroken as my dad is now? I… I’m just so scared, I…”

“Minho…”

“I just don’t want to be unhappy, that’s why I thought that not liking you back would help me because, when you feel too happy, the immediate consequences are obviously to be unhappy right? You feel happy only because you’ve felt sad before. So that’s why I was willing to give up this happiness not to feel sad. But not being with you still made me feel sad… I felt empty. I always thought of you. You drove me crazy.

“And here I am, telling you everything. Tomorrow, I’ll regret it… I shouldn’t have drunk this much. I shouldn’t have met Changbin on my way home. I’m sorry, so sorry… Why am I this scared…?”

“Hey Minho, it’s normal to be scared to be in a relationship hm? It’s okay. It’s fine. We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”

“But what if there’s no tomorrow…? What if you’ll disappear tomorrow?”

“I won’t. Nothing will happen to me, don’t worry.”

Minho was still crying. Hyunjin felt bad. He didn’t want him to cry, it was too painful to watch. He didn’t know his life was this painful and he was always frustrated because he didn’t understand him… Now, he was regretting. He shouldn’t have felt like he was the only one suffering. Because he wasn’t. Minho suffered so much more.

“Promise me…”

“I promise. Now sleep, hm?”

He got up, leaving the tea on the table.

“Hyunjin?”

“Mh?”

“I love you…”

Hyunjin smiled. “I love you too.”

And he left him alone, going to his room.

  
  
  
Hyunjin opened his eyes. Ah, so what happened yesterday was a dream… Yeah, of course.

He yawned, wanting to go back to sleep. But then, he heard a sound coming from the kitchen.

Someone was at his home.

 _Minho_ was at his home.

Getting up abruptly, he opened the door and went to see his own kitchen.

What he saw was a startled Minho who had just put two toasts in a plate. He turned red and Hyunjin felt like flowers blooming in his stomach.

“... Good morning? I uh used your kitchen to make you breakfast before going because I didn’t want to leave like this-”

“It wasn’t a dream?”

“Huh?”

“Yesterday. It wasn’t a dream?”

Minho blushed harder. He covered his face with his arm, showing his neck. Hyunjin could clearly see his name written on it and his heart beat faster.

“No. It wasn’t.”

Hyunjin brightly smiled. “Really?”

“No…”

“I’m happy, then. Let’s talk after I prepare myself because now… I…”

It was Hyunjin’s turn to blush, now that he realized he was in pajamas and had just woken up. He must look so ugly… Oh no.

“Don’t worry. You’re beautiful.”

Minho smiled at him and Hyunjin reddened.

Shit.

Minho had too much effect on him.

  
  
  
They were eating their breakfast. Toasts with eggs and milk. Hyunjin’s heart beat too fast. He had to talk but he felt so shy. Apparently, it was the same case with Minho because he still had this light red shade on his cheeks and it was adorable. Hyunjin would love to kiss them and now that he knew Minho’s thoughts, he wasn’t sure if he could restrain himself.

“So…”

Minho’s eyes darted on him. Hyunjin turned red but didn’t avert his gaze, still staring at him.

“I’m sorry for everything that happened to you. It must have been so painful…”

“Don’t worry about that.”

“You’re really insecure about lovers, right? Because you’re scared I’ll leave you whether it’s because I fall in love with someone else or because of life. But I promise. I promise I’ll always stay with you. I promise I won’t disappear. I promise I’ll be there to grow up with you and get old with you. I’ll be careful, I’ll take care of my health. And mostly…

“I promise that I’ll always love you.”

Minho’s cheeks turned red and Hyunjin smiled.

“You know, about soulmates… I don’t think it’s people being greedy for more happiness. I think it’s just because people can love more, people can bring more love to someone else. I know it brought you unhappiness but it brought your dad’s soulmate happiness. You can’t make everyone happy in life, so why not make yourself happy first? Your dad chose to be selfish, that was true. But would your family still be as happy as before if your dad chose you over his soulmate? No. He would have always thought of his soulmate, faking happiness.

“I think that soulmates should exist because I’ve really never felt this happy before. I had people liking me as I liked them, but it never felt the same. With you, I… I don’t know. It feels like I’ve finally found the right person for me, you know? And knowing that you have my name on your skin reassures me. I’m yours. I’m Minho’s soulmate. And I’m his lover for life. Isn’t it so amazing?

"That’s why I… I understand why you’re scared. But in that case, you’re scared of living. You’re scared of going out, you’re scared of eating, you’re scared of sleeping. So don’t be. Just live your life, Minho. What about bad things happening? They have to happen either way. You can’t sacrifice your happiness because you don’t want to feel unhappy. Happiness only exists because unhappiness exists, that’s true, and that’s what’s beautiful in life. Would have been this happy to hear you saying “I love you” if I didn’t suffer before? No. Unhappiness makes happiness worth it.

“So, Minho. Be with me. I’ll make your unhappiness worth it, okay? We’ll get through all the hardships together, we’ll cry together and be sad together. But we’ll always have our best moments in life together, we’ll feel the best together and we’ll be happy together. How does it sound? Nice, right?”

Hyunjin gave a smile.

“I promise you that I’ll make you happy, Minho. So… please? Will you go out with me?”

Minho smiled, eyes teary. “You’re really a hopeless case, Hyunjin.”

“Why am I one?”

“Because you want to be with me in spite of all of my flaws. I’m so insecure, so unconfident, so bad, so…”

“I’ll still love them. I’ll love you despite your flaws. Because your flaws make who you are.”

Minho smiled again. He didn’t hold his tear back, which ran down along his cheek. “Fine. Be unhappy with me, then.”

“I won’t be unhappy with you.”

“Then you won’t be happy either. You said that you can be happy only because you’ve felt sad.”

Hyunjin cracked a smile. “True but that’s not what I meant...”

“Then what?”

“I’ll still be happy with you because I won't ever get sad with you, I won't be unhappy,” Hyunjin said, wiping Minho’s eyes.

“It’s the same thing, though. Being unhappy means that you’re happy too, because happiness can’t exist without unhappiness.”

“Wow,” he laughed. “I’m impressed, Minho.”

“It’s hyung for you,” he replied with a crooked grin, wiping his tears.

“Are you sure it’s not baby?”

Minho turned red and Hyunjin laughed.

“I already hate you.”

“I love you too _baby_.”

“Oh my god…”

Minho hid his face in his hands while Hyunjin was laughing.

“You’re adorable.”

“Shut up.”

“Can I kiss you?”

“I said shut up.”

“That doesn’t answer my question.”

Minho rolled his eyes. “I’m really dating an idiot.”

Hyunjin turned red too. He wanted to say something, a bit shaken by the situation, but he couldn’t.

Minho’s lips sealed Hyunjin’s. 

Hyunjin completely melted. His lips were so perfect, as if they were made to be with his. To be honest, he wouldn’t even be surprised, because they were soulmates right? They were really made to be together. Hyunjin smiled against his lips, loving the kiss. He loved Minho’s everything and he was so sure that even without the soulmate link, he would have still liked him. Because Minho was Minho and Minho was irresistible. He was imperfect, it was true, but Hyunjin didn’t care. He loved Minho’s flaws as much as he loved his qualities.

And he’ll make sure he’ll always love him.

  
  
  
“Oh my god, you already kissed?”

“Yes, yes we did! Now shut up Kim Seungmin.”

“Pfff, you’re so cute Hyunjin…”

Hyunjin was bright red, looking away from his friend. He really was embarrassed to tell Seungmin everything that happened a few days ago at his home. Now that he thought about it… It felt so surreal. Minho admitting that he liked him back… They weren’t sure of what they were doing, if that was the right thing to do, but they still decided to experience all the bad and good things together. In short, they simply decided to live together.

“What happened after?” Seungmin asked with a goofy smile.

“It’s… a secret.”

“Did you guys make out?”

“Oh shut up!”

“You didn’t say no.”

Hyunjin hit him as he burst out laughing, falling on the couch.

“What about you then? Do you have anyone that you love?” Hyunjin tried to change the subject.

Seungmin stopped laughing, giving a faint smile as he sit up. “Not really. Haven’t found the rare gem yet.”

“That’s too bad…”

A music suddenly rang in the room. Hyunjin recognized his own ringtone and got his phone out of his pocket.

“Oh it’s Changbin hyung.”

“Kay, answer then.”

But Hyunjin didn’t directly answer. Instead, he gave Seungmin a knowing look, wiggling his eyebrows.

Seungmin frowned. “What are you-”

“Maybe I can try to put you and Changbin hyung together.”

He flushed. “What! Hyunjin! What are you thinking-”

Hyunjin picked up, giggling as he saw Seungmin’s baffled look. His friend was too easy to mess up with. But, frankly speaking, Seungmin and Changbin would look good together. After all, Changbin definitely got over Minho. When Hyunjin told him that they were going out together now, his best friend didn’t take it badly. He smiled in a bittersweet way, but congratulated them nonetheless. Hyunjin still knew that he was happy for them. He was just sad because himself couldn’t find the love of his life when he desperately wanted someone to love him back as much as he loved them. But maybe Hyunjin could help him?

“Hey Binnie hyung?”

  
  
  
Hyunjin was peacefully watching a movie. Minho was lying on his thighs, letting him play with his hair. They laughed at some times, gasped at some others. They were having a great time as a couple. Dating for a couple of months now, Hyunjin never felt more happy than he did now. People really didn’t lie to him when they said that meeting your soulmate was the most beautiful thing that could happen to you. It was true, Hyunjin didn’t believe them at first because Minho didn’t want to like him back. But now that he managed to reassure his boyfriend and prove him that he loved him, everything was going okay.

Day after day, he learned how to fall even harder for his hyung. The way he laughed, the way he smiled, the way he pouted… Why was everything so adorable, so attractive? He memorized each one of his habits, each one of his likings… He already knew what he didn’t like to eat or how he woke up in the morning. He knew Minho and knew that he was so in love with him. If at first, it was only attraction, now he was sure he just fell for him.

Minho was perfect to his eyes. However, he wasn’t his everything. Hyunjin truly loved his soulmate but he learned how to be happy in other ways too. With his friends, with his family, with his daily life. He searched happiness in every single thing, trying to be happier even if he was already really happy. Minho may not be his everything, but he was the one he was in love with.

He treasured him so much.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Minho said, finally noticing Hyunjin’s gaze on him. “You should watch the movie, not me.”

The latter softly smiled. “I just thought you were more interesting.”

“In which way?”

“Everything.”

Minho smiled too. He sit up straight, looking at him. Hyunjin could easily get lost in his eyes. Shining as brightly as they could, he finally understood what Changbin meant when he said that Minho’s eyes turned into a galaxy when he was staring at Hyunjin. Because now, he could clearly see it. His boyfriend’s gaze was so loving that he didn’t only see stars, but the whole universe in it. Hyunjin was Minho’s universe.

Minho turned around to face his boyfriend. He took his wrist, looking at his own name. He fondled his skin, a gentle smile on his lips.

“I really love you.”

Hyunjin’s heart combusted, like each time Minho said these words. He couldn’t help but smile, touching his boyfriend’s neck, stroking his own name.

“I love you too, baby.”

Minho smiled again. Then, he got closer to Hyunjin’s face. They didn’t say any word, they didn’t need to say any word.

Quietly kissing, neither of them paid attention to the movie playing behind. After all, what was more interesting was the other. They were each other’s universes but didn’t need the other to exist. Universes could live on their own, still functioning in this huge world. But together, they were stronger, more beautiful. That was exactly Hyunjin’s feelings. He felt like becoming a better person thanks to Minho. No, he _was_ a better person thanks to Minho.

Finally, someone completed his broken heart. Someone repaired his incomplete heart.

He smiled.

_Dear my name._

_I love you._

**Author's Note:**

> so hope you enjoyed ♥ shameless promo, here is my twitter @minminstie i also write aus on twitter if you're curious to see. hope to see you around and merry christmas uwu


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